This bipartisan legislation introduced recently by Congressmen Dave Loebsack (D-IA) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) is designed to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide funding for job training to enhance communications tower service. Specifically, the bill would direct the FCC to carry out a grant program to make grants available to community colleges, post-secondary vocational and technical schools and any organization that provides career and technical education to veterans to establish or expand job training programs for communications tower service, construction and maintenance. The legislation would authorize $20 million per year in fiscal years 2019-2021.

“This is a critical time for our dynamic industry, and this coalition of respected and influential organizations endorsing H.R. 5639 affirms the importance of educating and training workers who will enhance America’s vital communications infrastructure. Moreover, initiatives like this bill will help address the workforce shortage in our industry,” said Jim Goldwater, NATE Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs. “NATE sincerely appreciates all of the associations which have joined with us to promote this timely bill,” added Goldwater.

The coalition recently sent an official letter of support for H.R. 5639 to Members of Congress who serve on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Education and the Workforce Committee, the committees with jurisdiction over the legislation.

Click HERE to read the coalition’s official letter of support for H.R. 5639.